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Just a short note to say well done on another very good publication (March 2006 issue). Apart from the very good regular contribution from Chris Barry of Heavy Commercial Vehicle Underwriting Managers (the first page I go to in any new edition and a favourite of mine), some really hard-hitting stuff from yourself and Paul Collings. If only transporters would realize that the work they decline is as important to the success of their businesses as the work they accept! I believe 50% of transporters that go to the wall do so because they have too much work, not too little. So your advice to transporters to call the shots is right on the money. I also agree with Paul that 'accidents will happen' but if the transporters read the articles and apply the information in their businesses, they will soon see that there are two types of 'accidents' - the genuine ones (about 10%) and the preventable ones (about 90%)!

But the highlight of the edition had to be your article on John Schnell (as a transport manager). Whoever thought up the concept, take a bow!

Well, in my humble opinion, he passed with flying colours. He was right on the money and would have made one hell of a competitor in the market. Any prospective transporter would do well to study - and implement - his advice if they wish to be successful.

He did not simplify it and all the cornerstones were there - run legal, operate professionally, look after and invest in your people in a hands-on manner and they will buy into what you are trying to achieve - and the market will follow. Pretty simple and a logical plan of action, which makes one wonder why so many so-called transporters get it wrong.

So thank you John for entering into the spirit of the request and next time I hear a transporter complaining about how you have "nailed him" and how you "know nothing about how hard it is to run a transport company", I'll give him the article and tell him you know EXACTLY how to run a transport company. But that is HIS job, not yours!

More power to your pen and let's have some more of the same.

Kevin Martin
Chief: Planning & Control
Freightliner Transport, Durban

Editor's Comment: Wow! Thanks so much for those kind words. I'm sure John Schnell will also appreciate your observation that he will make a pretty good trucker. As for the idea of getting him to don a trucker's hat, FleetWatch has always stated that the cops are not the enemy (apart from those who dirty their hands and uniforms by taking bribes) and that they have a hands-on feel for the ills that exist out there based on their daily on-the-road experiences with trucks. So we decided to put it to the test and made the approach to Schnell. As you have observed, he rose to the occasion with some pretty sound advice for truckers.

There is one comment from your letter I would like to highlight for all to ponder over. It is - and I quote: "If only transporters would realize that the work they decline is as important to the success of their businesses as the work they accept!" That is such a wise observation and so true. Let all transporters think about it.

Your comment

In response to what your readers think regarding the issue of traffic circles versus traffic lights (Letters, FleetWatch February edition), being a Capetonian I have witnessed the chaos at traffic light intersections due to power outages over the last few months. No problems due to power outages at traffic circles. Bonus - energy savings!

Robert Lea
Interland Distribution

Editor's Comment: Thanks for that response Robert. I wonder if we shouldn't bounce this off some traffic expert who specialises in traffic flow or whatever they call it. Any such person out there? Please let us know. In the meantime, I'm going to pass the issue onto the CSIR and see if they have opinions on whether traffic circles or robots are better. Someone must surely be looking at the issue given that our cities are already horrendously congested and will get worse as traffic volumes increase. This is having a negative impact on transport productivity and if traffic circles are the answer and can replace robots for better traffic flow in certain instances, then let's do it - especially since predictions are that the whole country - not just the Western Cape - is going to experience power outages due to Eskom's bad planning. We'll get back to you all on this one.

This sign was spotted by FleetWatch at the entrance to Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. No power means no working robots. This, according to a reader, caused chaos at traffic light intersections in the Cape so instead of treating dead traffic lights as 4-way stops as this sign tells us to do, why not just introduce traffic circles?

Your comment

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the truth in your article The Gift of Negligence in one of your recent editions! Thank you for noticing that "in the majority of cases, trucks were not at fault".

I believe the majority of us trucking companies are putting a lot of effort, time and money into trying to do it right. I don't have the statistics but also believe that at any given moment, there are more trucks on the road than cars which, relatively speaking, should mean more truck accidents. Trucks always get the blame at accident scenes but I don't believe they are always wrong.

Something else I feel should be reconsidered are the speed limits on our national routes. Obviously 80 km/h will be considered safe in mountain areas (N3) but times are long gone when trucks travelled at 80 km/h on the N1 between Johannesburg and Cape Town where 100km/h would seem more feasible. I often travel that route myself with a truck - just to appreciate my drivers all over again - and notice the majority of trucks travel very safely at 100 km/h. My belief is that travelling at 80km/h would cause me to fall asleep.

Thanks for a great magazine. Let's keep our image up and to all drivers out there - you are doing a great job!

Hein Viljoen

Editor's Comment: Thanks for your kind words of compliments Hein and I believe you're right in saying that the majority of trucking companies put a lot of effort, time and money into trying to do it right. There are, however, still many companies who don't give a hoot and allow their trucks out on the roads in terrible states of unroadworthiness with ill-trained or overworked drivers. For proof of this, see our February edition BrakeWatch exercise. It is these companies which tarnish the image of the industry as a whole.

You don't mention your company but you are obviously a caring employer. I gauge that from the fact that you still travel the N1 yourself to - I quote - "appreciate my drivers all over again" You are one of a mere handful who will take the time and trouble to put your bum into the seat of a truck and travel the routes your drivers do. For that, I lift my hat to you and still contend that if more 'owners' would do that, it would change many things for the better out there on the road.

As for increasing the speed limit, we have the situation in South Africa where we have a mix of old and new technology trucks. Certainly the new technology trucks could easily handle 100 kph but some of the older ones - Eisssh! Also, I'm sorry to say but the industry as a whole has not come anywhere near to ensuring the driver fraternity operating these trucks is a professional and trained one. A new tech truck at 100kph in the hands of an ill-trained driver will be a death trap.

I'm not for 100 kph but I do see 90 kph as a distinct possibility, provided that the truck has advanced braking and other new tech features - and provided the driver is well trained in the utilisation of such features and in overall professional driving practices. And that training must be on-going. Given the dismal record of non-training in this industry, I don't see that happening for a long time. That said, the fact remains that you are right about drivers falling asleep at 80 kph. Many drivers I speak to say it is extremely tiring driving at that speed, especially on long routes like the Johannesburg/Cape Town one. They would like to see the speed limit increased.

To sum up, I don't expect to see any increase in the speed limit of trucks in the near future so regular refresher stops (in legal parking areas) carried out by a healthy driver who has a healthy diet and lifestyle is the way to go. You, for one, could make this a reality in your company purely because, by driving trucks yourself on the same routes your drivers do, you know first-hand what they are facing out there. Not many owners do!

Your comment

No accidents are caused intentionally as which sane person will deliberately cause an accident. Police officers should take more interest when approaching car accidents instead of saying that it is too late and just going on their merry way. They must insist that all the parties involved in accidents must take a breathaliser test.

Yes, certain vehicles do have right of way but if a car is in an intersection already, then the other cars should wait until the intersection is clear before they proceed into the intersection.

There are so many people that have so much aggression in them and they are just out to hurt others. They should really just take a look at themselves because what one does to another will always come back to you.

Concerned Trucker
Name known to Fleetwatch

Editors' Comment: Many thanks for caring enough about what's going on out there to write to us and share your views. Alkeyzandt, I'm not too sure where you get the notion that police officers ignore accidents and go on their 'merry way'. Perhaps you have personal experience of this. If so, let us know and we'll follow up for you on whichever incident or incidents you are referring to.

As for your comment that all parties involved in accidents must take a breathaliser test, I agree with you. It should be standard practise especially in a country where drinking and driving is so blatantly flaunted by so many at all times of the day and night. Drivers in countries like Australia and the UK are terrified of driving after drinking. They just don't do it. Why? Because they know that if they're caught, the consequences are dire even going so far as to having their licenses cancelled. That should happen here of course but it doesn't. We're 'limp wristed' when it comes to 'criminalising' drunk drivers so at least let's breathalyse - as standard practise - those involved in car accidents. It may act as a form of deterrent. Not much else does.

As for your comment on aggression, here too I agree with you. We live in an extremely aggressive society and this aggression does transfer onto our roads as exhibited by the many road rage incidents reported on. Let's all calm down for goodness sake. When you get behind the wheel of any vehicle you are in charge of a potentially lethal weapon. Adding aggression to the equation makes it a deliberate lethal weapon. Using a lethal weapon deliberately to kill is called murder.

Your comment

Your article concerning the sad and dangerous state of the braking efficiency of heavy transport in a recent edition of FleetWatch was an eye-opener to say the least. Keep up the excellent work on your outstanding magazine.

Brian Connell
TOHF Trailers

Editor's Comment: It certainly opened our eyes as to the state of some of the vehicles out there. What we found really shocked us. Eisssh! And thanks for those kind words on our magazine. Much appreciated.

Your comment

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